It has never been effortless to bring up children but the technological advancement has made circumstances more complicated for parents. The predominance of the internet and mobile phone technologies has widened the generation gap between the millennial parents and post-millennial children. The Generation Z has smartphones, tablets, virtual and augmented reality games and much more to get their hands on at a very early age. The software, apps, gadgets, and numerous innovations have been developed for pre-school children to learn and play. The teens and tweens have mastered social media sites and instant messaging services leaving their predecessors amazed. They have a whole new digital world to experience and get through.
The technology that has a greater impact on Generation Z is entirely different from the things millennials have grown up with. However, the millennial parents are required to stay on top of all these technologies. They are supposed to be acquainted with all the things that are influencing their kids’ lives. They are required to protect their kids from the perils of the real world as well as online world. If you are fantastic in all the aspects of parenting but your understanding of computer and smartphone is insufficient, you would be a misfit for your kids’ ever-expanding cyber world. Not any parents can afford to remain ignorant of the online activities of their kids because it would prevent them from protecting their offspring from exposing to inappropriate adult stuff on the internet, helping your child overcome cyberbullies, online child predators, sexual harassments, online offenses, and other threats prevailing in the digital world.
To help out the non-tech savvy parents, we have shared here practical parenting tips to raise tech savvy children.
Make an effective Plan
The very first and for most thing parents need to do is to make a progressive plan to fulfill all the expectations and to set basic ground rules for kids and teens for their bright future. Parents should keep in mind that the devices that they have been handed over to children are not for teens and preteen, these are for adults. Hold a pen and page and start thinking what you should do. Put all the basic steps into your plan and write it. Don’t say your kids have fun on tech-devices and leave them into their separate rooms. Do some brainstorming and research by using the internet what sort of digital dangers younger generation is facing at the moment and what sort of trendy platforms they are using on the contemporary technological creature.
Once you have a list you may think, you may leave something to act upon; don’t worry it will be updated when you are in the business. When you are going to hand over the devices to your kids, tell them to put the passwords on them but they have to share with you as well. Don’t take kids for granted; remember they know the modern tech devices and platforms even far better than you. After making the plan, apply it in your home at any cost.
Put Restrictions & do Positive Conversations
Make settings on your kid’s device, by visiting into the settings of cell phone and put restrictions on parental control then hand over it to your kids and teens. Parents can purchase such modern smartphone devices that offer parental control features, but these modern cell phones are not even fully controlled for parenting point of view. Resultantly, your child may come to you and say to you that they want to do particular activities. Then you can do positive conversation with your kids and teens, and you can guide them what is appropriate for them. Make a polite conversation with your kids and teach them how to use a mobile device properly without being harmed from online dangers. Explain to your kids and teens, what is the reason behind putting some restrictions on their smartphones. Your friendly behavior will make them understand why you are not letting them use certain platforms.
Start With Learning
Being a mother, it’s important to get your children to learn the things that matter. The same is true for you. You are required to learn what you should no matter what you are in age. Non-Tech savvy mums it’s time to develop an interest in technologies, apps, games and all those things your children are interested in. If you are not sure what your kiddo is talking about, take help from the internet to get answers. If your 5-year-old asks you about Snapchat and you do not know enough about it, take help of Google to know more about it. Educate yourself about instant messengers, social networking and AR/VR games.
Try out new apps and ask your kids about their new favourites so you can try them out and ensure they are on the right stuff.
Create Ground Rules
The first and the most important thing parents must do are to create some rules for home. Everyone at home should be made to follow these rules. The rules will curb the use of the internet, phones, video games, social media, and any other gadgets. The purpose is to reduce the addiction to internet screening among kids and teens and encourage them for better and healthy activities. If parents do this successfully, they can improve their control over kids.
Avoid Using Confusing Jargon
Words that may seem commonplace to you could very likely be foreign to your parents. When explaining concepts, don’t assume that they understand what you’re talking about. Even using a term like “copy and paste” could confuse them.
For best results, try to speak in analogies and explain any concept that doesn’t make sense outside of the context of the technology being used. You’ll feel like you’re dumbing things down too much, but they’ll let you know if you’re going too far.
Digital Parenting Tips
Digital parenting can be easy if parents become more tech-savvy. The non-tech-savvy parents must educate themselves, learn about the new technology, set rules regarding phone and internet use and monitor their children.
Monitor Your Teens
Lastly, if all the possible options fail, parents should not lose hope. They need to use technology to deal with technology. There are many parental control apps for the parents these days that help them monitor their children and keep eyes on their online activities. The parental control apps are considered the best and the safest option for digital parenting. They offer a number of features that allow parents to check the social media activities as well as other stuff on the phones of their children.
